Chicken, Sweet Potato and Tomato Tagine

A tagine is a North African stew that’s loaded with fragrant spices and usually served with couscous. A tagine is also the earthenware vessel that the stew is cooked in. It’s got a cool shape – narrow conical lid over a shallow round dish.

Yield: 8 servings.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp. chopped ginger

1 fresh chile, such as Thai chile, chopped

1 tbsp. North African spice blend, or to taste

2 cups chicken stock

Handful currants or raisins

1 pound sweet potato, peeled, chopped

Handful frozen peas

Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

One 19-ounce diced tomatoes

Fresh cilantro, chopped

8 rotis, for serving

Oven-Baked Spiced Chicken Thighs

8 chicken thighs, boneless skinless

Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1 tsp. North African spice blend, or to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil

Method

Chicken, Sweet Potato and Tomato Tagine

Add olive oil to large casserole pot over medium high heat.

Add onion. Cook until soft about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, ginger, fresh chile and spice blend and cook until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Increase heat to high. Add stock and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Stir to combine. Add currants. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add Oven-Baked Spiced chicken thighs to tagine.

Add diced tomatoes and peas and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

When chicken is cooked through, stir in chopped cilantro. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste.